Good Working Conditions
Regina Leader-Post
November, 2003

Article by Mike Towle

Four Saskatchewan firms make the top-100 list

Happy employees equals good business for four Saskatchewan companies.

In the 2004 listing of "Canada's Top 100 Employers," Co-operators Life Insurance Company, Co-operative Trust Company of Canada, Credit Union Electronic Transaction Services (CUETS), and SaskTel all made the cut.

The three co-operative sector companies are in the top 100 for the third year in a row, while SaskTel enjoys its fourth.

"As an employee, I am very honoured," says Glenn Bohay, company spokesman for Co-operators Life Insurance Company, which is headquartered in Regina.

"From the company's perspective, I feel very proud to be there, out of thousands of companies (considered.) We want to continue to be a part of the list."

The 100 companies in MediaCorp Canada and MacLeans's list were narrowed down from 42,000. The first criterion is a growing company.

From there, it's all about the employee.

The list looks at workplace atmosphere, communication between management and employees, employment benefits and vacation allowance, and recruitment, retention, and development of employees.

"We have a very good vacation policy," says Bohay.

"You get three weeks vacation when you start, and flexible hours depending on what's best for the employee and company."

Bob Lane, company spokesman for CUETS, says he's very pleased with CUETS being on the list because it validates the company is doing something right.

One right thing CUETS is doing is employing women in roughly 50 per cent of management positions.

"We also have a wellness program few companies could rival," he says. "We offer flu shots, weight-loss programs, and a free YMCA pass for all employees."

All three companies provide funding to employees who take post-secondary courses which relate to the job.

Lane took Friday off work to focus on his master's course in human resources at the University of Regina.

A company does not have to be perfect to make the list, but employees who feel involved is one key to success.

Maryann Deutscher, manager of human resources for Saskatoon-based Co-operative Trust Company of Canada, says they actively seek employees' opinions through surveys, to which 80 per cent respond.

Because MediaCorp Canada believes in a relationship between a company's charity efforts and the way it treats its own employees, charity is also considered.

The co-operative companies allow one paid day-off work to volunteer in the community, as well as corporately supporting other events.

"Our uniqueness," says Deutscher, "is our focus on people, like staff and community.

SaskTel, unable to comment because of the provincial election, was selected because of opportunities in Saskatchewan and around the world, as well as providing online training to employees in small centres.